US-based food manufacturer Eat Just has obtained regulatory approval to sell its cultured chicken as an ingredient in chicken bites in Singapore.

The company claims that its cultured meat has been created directly from animal cells and is safe for human consumption.

With this regulatory clearance, the company will now be able to commercially launch its products under the Good Meat brand in Singapore.

Eat Just co-founder and CEO Josh Tetrick said: “Singapore has long been a leader in the innovation of all kinds, from information technology to biologics to now leading the world in building a healthier, safer food system.

“I’m sure that our regulatory approval for cultured meat will be the first of many in Singapore and in countries around the globe.

“Working in partnership with the broader agriculture sector and forward-thinking policymakers, companies like ours can help meet the increased demand for animal protein as our population climbs to 9.7 billion by 2050.”

The cultured meat gained regulatory approval after a consultation and review process involving the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

Eat Just said that it demonstrated a consistent manufacturing process of their cultured chicken by running more than 20 production runs in 1,200l bioreactors.

During the demonstration, the cultured chicken cleared all the safety and quality regulations, as well as adhered with poultry meat standards.

The analysis also showed that the cultured chicken contained high protein, a diversified amino acid composition and healthy monounsaturated fat with rich mineral content.

Eat Just added that it has also developed other cultured chicken formats, which will be an extension to this product line.

In October, Eat Just partnered with an Asian consortium led by Proterra Investment Partners Asia (Proterra Asia) to build a new plant protein production facility in Singapore.